Pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into a rinse spray system



July 28, 1964 G. J. FEDERIGHI 3,142,416 PRESSURIZED APPARATUS FOR INJECTING DRYING AGENT INTO A RINSE SPRAY SYSTEM Filed April 15, 1965 INVENTOR.

GEORGE J- F'EDERIGHI 1 1ET 2 BY 5% W ATTORNEY United States Patent M 3,142,416 PRESSURIZED APPARATUS FOR INJECTING DRY- IN G AGENT INTO A RENSE SPRAY SYSTEM George J. Federighi, Stero Chemical Mfg. Co., 70 13th St, San Francisco, Calif. Filed Apr. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 272,899 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-57) The present invention relates to improvements in pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into a rinse spray system. It consists of the combinations, constructions, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In United States Patent No. 3,011,722, dated December 5, 1961, granted to George J. Federighi and Tore H. Noren, of which I am a co-inventor, there is shown a pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into rinse spray of dishwashing machines.

In the above-mentioned patent, a base is provided with a coupling member to which the outlet of a pressurized container may be removably connected. The base disclosed therein forms part of a dispensing apparatus or injection unit, and the latter is operable by water pressure from a dishwashing machine for injecting drying agent into the rinse sprays of the machine. However, the pressurized container shown in the patent is limited in size, since it must be supported on the base of the injector unit. In larger establishments, for instance restaurants and hotels, the pressurized container must be replaced several times a day, and the operator must check the container from time to time to make sure that an ample supply of the drying agent remains in the container being utilized. Otherwise, the washed dishes, glasses and silverware will dry with white spots theron, caused by the alkaline material in the water.

Accordingly, the cardinal object of this invention is to provide a pressurized tank capable of holding a large supply of the drying agent, for example, several gallons. This pressurized tank may be readily connected to the injection unit shown in the foregoing mentioned patent, and the drying agent may be delivered to a rinse spray system over a considerable period of time, thus assuring the fact that the proper amount of the drying agent will be injected into the rinse spray system.

Moreover, it is proposed to provide a device of the type described in which a conduit has an intake coupling member at one end of the conduit that may be easily connected to an outlet coupling member on the tank, automatically opening a valve in the latter, whereby the pressurized drying agent will flow into the conduit. The

other end of the conduit is adapted to be connected to the injection unit. Thus a large bulk of the drying agent may be made readily available at all times, and a new tank may be delivered when the supply of drying agent in the old tank starts to run low.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic elevational view, partly in section, showing my pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into a rinse spray system;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view disclosing the intake coupling member connected to the outlet coupling member of the tank; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the injection unit.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my in- 3,142,416 Patented July 28, 1964 vention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed Description Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a pressurized tank indicated generally at A containing drying agent B therein under pressure. It will be noted that an opening 10 is provided in the top of the tank for filling purposes. A cover 11 may be inserted into this opening and secured in place by operating a clamp 12, a ringshaped gasket 13 being provided between the wall of the opening and the cover (see FIGURE 1). Freon or other pressure-producing medium may be used to main tain the drying agent B under constant pressure. This pressure is considerably higher than that maintained in the rinse spray system C into which the drying agent is finally delivered.

The tank A is provided with an outlet coupling member D having a self-closing valve 14 in its outlet 15.

Moreover, this coupling member has a tip tube 16 COIl-J nected thereto by a fitting 17 disposed within the tank. The dip tube extends substantially to the bottom 18 of the tank, whereby the drying agent may flow through the dip tube for discharge into the outlet coupling member D.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, an intake coupling member B may be removably connected to the outlet coupling member D of the tank by the former member telescoping over the latter member in liquid-tight relation therewith. A self-closing valve 19 is provided in the inlet 20 of the intake coupling member E. It will be observed that a spring 14a is associated with the valve 14 so as to yieldingly urge the latter against a seat 14b to thus cut ofif outflow of the drying agent through the outlet 15, when the intake coupling member E is removed from the outlet coupling member D, as in FIGURE 1.

The self-closing valve 19 has a spring 19a associated therewith for yieldingly urging this valve against a seat 1% so as to close the inlet 20, when the intake coupling member E is detached from the outlet coupling member D of the tank. However, a pin 21 is carried by the valve 19, with this pin being located to abut the tank valve 14 and move the latter into open position, when the coupling members are connected together. This pin will also open the valve 19 upon connecting the coupling members together, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

In order to secure the coupling members D and E together, the coupling member D is formed with an annular groove 22 extending circumferentially therearound, while the coupling member E has a latching lever 23 swingably secured thereto by a journal pin 24-. A hook 25 is fashioned on the lever 23 so as to engage with the groove 22 to hold the coupling members connected together in telescoped relation. A compression spring 26 bears against the lever 23 to yieldingly urge the latter into latching position with respect to the groove.

An outlet fitting 2'7 communicates with the inlet 20 of the intake coupling member E, and this fitting has a flexible conduit F connected thereto so as to receive the pressurized drying agent that is forced upwardly through the dip tube 16 and the coupling members. The annular groove 22 and the hook 25 will retain the coupling members together in telescoped relation, with the intake coupling member E being free to swivel around the outlet coupling member D so that the conduit F may extend in the desired direction from the tank A.

It will be apparent that when the couplnig members D and E are detached one from the other, as in FIGURE 1, the self-closing valve 19 will preclude the drying agent then contained in the conduit F from draining back through the intake coupling member E.

An injection unit G communicates with the end of the conduit F disposed opposite to the intake coupling E. This unit is identical with that shown in United States Patent No. 3,011,722, previously mentioned. This injection unit is connected to the rinse spray system C and is operable to effect discharge of the pressurized drying agent B into the rinse spray system.

In its structural details, the injection unit G has a transparent base 28 provided with a coupling member 29, the latter defining a threaded inlet 30 into which a threaded neck 31 may be screwed. This neck is carried by a cap 32 having an inlet nipple 33 that communicates with a tubular fitting 34 which in turn is connected to the conduit F. Thus pressurized drying agent will flow from the conduit, passing through the fitting 34 and inlet nipple 33 to the interior of the coupling member 29, with a gauge 34a indicating the pressure.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 3, the coupling member 29 and the base 28 are formed with intercommunicating passageways 35 and 36, respectively. The drying agent flows through the passageway 36 and passes a flow-regulating valve 37 and then flows through a passageway 38 to the upper end of an outlet tube 39. The latter is provided with a normally closed spring-pressed check valve 40 in its lower end and the outlet tube is fastened to the base 28.

The check valve 40 will arrest further flow of the drying agent until this check valve is opened by a flowcontrol unit H housed within the base 28. As to this flow-control unit, it includes a plunger 41 having a pin 42 at its top, which is disposed to unseat the check valve 40, when the plunger is raised.

The base 28 defines a water-receiving compartment 43 across which a diagram 44 is mounted. A water-conveying pipe 45 leads from a coupler 46 in a hot water supply pipe 47 (see FIGURE 1) of a dishwashing machine in which the rinse spray system C is mounted, and the pipe 45 delivers water under pressure to the compartment 43. This will flex the diaphragm 44 upwardly to unseat the check valve 40. When this happens, the drying agent will flow from the outlet tube 39 and enter a discharge passageway 48 formed in the base 28. A discharge pipe 49 receives the drying agent from the passageway 48.

The discharge pipe 49 has sufiicient length to extend to the coupler 46 so as to deliver the drying agent to the rinse spray system C. In order to prevent water from flowing through the. discharge pipe 49 from the interior of the coupler 46 and entering the passageway 48, a springpressed check valve 50 is provided in the pipe 49 where the latter is connected to the passageway 48 (see FIG- URE 3).

In summary, it will be clear that when the intake coupling member E is telescoped over the outlet coupling member D of the tank A, the drying agent B will be forced upwardly through the dip tube 16 by the pressure in the tank. At this time, both the valves 14 and 19 will be opened, and thus the pressurized drying agent will enter the conduit F, flowing through the latter and entering the injection unit G. The latter is actuated by the flow-control unit H to effect a discharge of the pressurized drying agent into the rinse spray system C.

When the coupling E is detached from the coupling D, both valves 14 and 19 will move into closed position, and the drying agent then contained in the conduit P will be prevented from draining back through the intake coupling member E. Now a new tank A containing a supply of the pressurized drying agent may be connected 4 to the coupling member E and the entire system will be restored to an operative condition.

I claim: 1. In a pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent 5 into a rinse spray system:

(a) a portable pressurized tank containing drying agent therein under pressure, the tank being provided with an outlet coupling member fixed thereto and proejcting therefrom, said member having a selfclosing valve in its outlet;

(b) an intake coupling member removably connected to the projecting portion of the outlet coupling member of the tank, and having means engageable with the tank valve to open the latter when the coupling members are connected together, whereby the pressurized drying agent will fiow into the intake coupling member, the intake coupling member being freely movable about when disconnected from the outlet coupling member;

(0) a conduit having an inlet end communicating with the intake coupling member to receive the pressurized drying agent therefrom;

(d) an injection unit communicating through detachable coupling means with an outlet end of the conduit so that the pressurized drying agent will flow into the injection unit and the injection unit including a flow control unit;

(e) the injection unit being connected to a rinse spray system of a dishwashing machine, the flow control unit being operable by water in said system to effect discharge of the pressurized drying agent into the rinse spray system;

(f) and the conduit being flexible and having sufficient length so that the tank may be supported on a floor, or the like, at a distance from the injection unit and independent of the latter, with the outlet and intake coupling members being connected together.

2. The pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into a rinse spray system, as set forth in claim 1;

(g) and in which one of the coupling members is formed with a groove therein, and the other coupling member has a manually-actuated latching lever swingably secured thereto and the lever being exposed on the exterior thereof for ready grasping and operating;

(/1) the intake coupling member being made to telescope relative to the outlet coupling member of the tank in liquid-tight relation therewith;

(i) and the latching lever having a hook positioned v0 to engage with the groove to hold the coupling members connected together in telescoped relation. 3. The pressurized apparatus for injecting drying agent into a rinse spray system, as set forth in claim 2;

(j) and in which the groove extends annularly around the coupling member in which it is formed;

(k) the hook engaging with the annular groove so that the intake coupling member may freely swivel around the outlet coupling member so that the flexible conduit may extend in a desired direction from the tank without kinking the conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,654 Ripley May 5, 1891 940,678 Doane et al Nov. 23, 1909 2,772,706 Petau Dec. 4, 1956 2,941,725 Federighi et al June 21, 1960 2,964,918 Hansen et aI Dec. 20, 1960 

1. IN A PRESSURIZED APPARATUS FOR INJECTING DRYING AGENT INTO A RINSE SPRAY SYSTEM: (A) A PORTABLE PRESSURIZED TANK CONTAINING DRYING AGENT THEREIN UNDER PRESSURE, THE TANK BEING PROVIDED WITH AN OUTLET COUPLING MEMBER FIXED THERETO AND PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID MEMBER HAVING A SELFCLOSING VALVE IN ITS OUTLET; (B) AN INTAKE COUPLING MEMBER REMOVABLY CONNECTED TO THE PROJECTING PORTION OF THE OUTLET COUPLING MEMBER OF THE TANK, AND HAVING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TANK VALVE TO OPEN THE LATTER WHEN THE COUPLING MEMBERS ARE CONNECTED TOGETHER, WHEREBY THE PRESSURIZED DRYING AGENT WILL FLOW INTO THE INTAKE COUPLING MEMBER, THE INTAKE COUPLING MEMBER BEING FREELY MOVABLE ABOUT WHEN DISCONNECTED FROM THE OUTLET COUPLING MEMBER; (C) A CONDUIT HAVING AN INLET END COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTAKE COUPLING MEMBER TO RECEIVE THE PRESSURIZED DRYING AGENT THEREFROM; 